COFFIN, the case in which a dead body is interred ; usually made of elm, or oak. It consists of a bottom, two ends, and two sides ; the latter being sawed half through, at right angles with their length, so as to give a pliancy to the boards ; whereby the shoulder bend is made to suit the corps: the lid is after wards screwed down. Coffins are some times plain, but generally- are covered with black serge, &c. and ornamented with white, or yellow escutcheons and handles. It is necessary, that, whatever cloth is used, not only in lining and co vering the coffin, but in the shroud, &c. it should be of woollen : this is done for the benefit of our manufacturers. Per sons of property are sometimes cased in lead, well soldered, and afterwards put into richly ornamented coffins, for the purpose of laying in state, or for being deposited in vaults. We have, among other ingenious inventions, patent coffins, which effectually preclude the depreda tions of that abominable crew, that obtain a livelihood by robbing cemeteries. The security of this contrivance arises chiefly from making the coffin so very strong, as to resist the instruments usually employ ed by what are termed " Resurrection men," and by making the lid to fit on with spring plugs, fitting into hitched sockets ; so that being once closed, they never can be severed, except by break ing the coffin to pieces. It is to be la mented, that such practices are consider ed to be at all necessary, under the plea of the bodies being subjects for dissec tion, and considerably aiding to anatomi cal and pathological researches. Were all
who suffer under the sentence of the law to be devoted to that purpose, many good effects might arise, and the ob noxious resource, now referred to, be discontinued. Our ancestors generally used stone coffins. The nations of Asia, Africa, and America, as well as the Turks in general, do not use any case for the interment of their dead It is, how ever, to be tcmembered, that the shroud used by the Musselmans, both in Eu rope and throughout Asia, is called " Kattffin ;" whence we may be led to conjecture that to have been the origin of our designation.
Coffins are by no means to be recom mended ; they cause a long continuance of that fermentation which is the parent of putrefaction, aiding the retention of infectious diseases for many months, and debarring the access of the surrounding soil, whereby the noxious particles would be absorbed and neutralized. Every coffin ought to be filled up with quick lime, whence the putrefaction would be accele rated, and the danger of infection be, at least, lessened. The Emperor of Ger many, about 30 years back, prohibited coffins, and caused quick lime to be im mediately used. Strange to say, such was the offence given to his supersti tious and bigoted subjects, that this re gulation, in itself wise, and intended for their safety, was the cause of very serious discontents, and, to prevent insurrection, was shortly after repealed.